Moral of Choice
by Ryan-the-Wolfeh
Summary: A short story about Brady Flint the hedgehog encountering an old foe who became too powerful for him. He eventually finds himself wondering what choice he could do to save everyone he loves.


"Life has always been difficult for those living in Rapture. Everyday, people fear what has become known as bio-terrorists, people who have powers that use them for evil. However, there are a select few who have powers that hasn't fallen to temptation. Their will and causes have allowed them to build resistance against those who prey on the week. They are the DUP and they are there to protect and serve those who could not defend themselves. The head of them is Brady Flint the Hedgehog, also known as Speedy, a self-proclaim leader of the group after the failure of a corrupt bio-terrorist known as Maxon. He is considered one of the strongest because he and his wife had absorbed a purified version of chronic energy that Dr. Zachery has discovered. With his and his friends' powers, they will not stop till they protect everyone who use their powers to evil. Correction, stop everyone who use MY powers. For you see, everything is according to plan."

"Good morning!" Speedy yawned as he was walking downstairs. The aroma of bacon and eggs flooded the kitchen as his wife, Leanna, a blue hedgehog with yellow eyes, was making breakfast. She gave off a smile to him and set the table full of plates and silverware. Just as he was about to sit down, three young hedgehogs came running down the stairs. From oldest to youngest, Ember, Ruby, and Cyrus, ran in. Each child has inherited their powers from the hedgehogs. Ruby, got Speedy's fire power. Cyrus, got Leanna's ice powers. However, Ember was different from the two. When she was born, her power was smoke. This caught both parents by surprise when they first saw it.

As soon as they were done with breakfast, the phone began to ring. Leanna look toward Speedy wondering if she should take it or should he. Speedy smiles and gets up to answer it. "Hello?" He asked. A voice familiar to him responded back with shocked. "Brady, we need you to get back to HQ quick. There's a situation that is needed to be discussed." The hedgehog knew what kind of situation the man was talking about. Recently, small towns were being cleared out and burnt down before any of the DUP could catch the person. People all over were panicking, wondering if they were next on the list for the attacks or not. He and organization are trying their best to find out where the person is hiding and how to detain them.

Speedy gathered his stuff and ran out, leaving Leanna and the kids to eat. She sighed hoping he didn't have to go today. The two had plans on going someplace fun with the kids but they wanted today to be the day to pick one. However, she knows the importance of his job but he's been working 6 days a week for 18 hours, most of the time, coming home with some bruises. They can heal quickly but she worries if he continues, one of these days, he won't be able to come back home.

"What's the problem now, Zero?" Speedy asked the man who called him to work. "4 towns gone." He said. Zero is the nickname for Dr. Peter Zachery. He was nicknamed that because it stood for subject zero, first man to ever have powers. He was at first corrupted but later earned redemption .

"In a week?" Speedy questioned.

"In an hour."

Speedy stood in silence. How could something like that possibly happen? It has to be a bio-terrorist that's doing this but killing everyone and setting the whole town of fire, not to mention 4 towns that fast? It's impossible.

"We did some predictions and we found a possible couple of towns that are likely targets. If you don't mind, we would like your wife to hel-"

"She's' not coming." He objected. "My wife has to be there for the kids if I'm not there. We were supposed to get ready for vacation sometime soon but you called me in here. If anything, just send large forces of troops to guard those towns. I'll guard the most likely target myself."

"Are you certain? Again, this is a class-M bio-terrorist we could be talking about." Zero argued. "If I could classify you, you're a class-J." Speedy grinned at that comment. "You may consider me that but I can handle myself. Besides, I did beat you."

"Twice," they both said at the same time and Zero sighed. "Just be careful. I rather not have to come out of my lab when I'm sure I'm coming close to discovering the origins of this energy." Speedy nods and runs out.

Speedy reached the town in a mere hour and smiles at the look of the place. The town was celebrating one of their favorite festivals known as the "Apple Tree Feast Festival." Speedy laughed somewhat at the name of it. As he walked into the festival, some people looked at him with a fearful look. He turned at them and they looked away. Speedy knows they were afraid of him, despite everything he tries to do to help.

Finally he was stopped by a bear who growled at him. "What are you doing here, freak?" Speedy brushed him off and walked by him. The bear grabbed him. "I asked you a question." Speedy turned to him and threw his arm out of his grip. "Just trying to enjoy this festival like everyone else." Speedy finally said. "Though you're invading my personal space." The bear's teeth showed a bit with rage and shoved him. "Bullshit. I know who you are, and someone like you aren't the kind of people that would just come to someplace like this quiet town to just 'enjoy' what we have."

Speedy just looked at him and just starts walking off. The arrogant man once again tried to throw a punch at Speedy. Speedy knew this was coming and caught his hand without looking. "If you wish to turn violent, feel free." The bear's hatred to fear seeing that he could do that. "Though I'll give you a warning, I'm not someone you want to tangle with. Now would you want to start a fight and ruin the festival's idea of a happy day or would you enjoy it and not question a city person's presence?"

Speedy let go and he was rubbing his hand, realizing that he could easily crush it if he wanted to. Speedy continued on his way. He visited each stand, providing a variety of stuff that would certainly be nice to try. There were jewelry, games, food, and of course, cedar. Since Speedy never did have cedar, he decided to go to a stand and the girl there, perhaps around 23, smiled. "Hello! Would you like to try some cedar?" The red hedgehog nodded with a smile. He pulled out some money and bought a cup.

At first the taste was weird to him but he got to enjoy it. He decided to explore the town a bit and enjoyed everything there. It was a nice getaway from everything, except for the conflict from earlier, Speedy enjoyed his first day.

For the next week, nothing happened. Speedy was starting to wonder if the threat would even appear, he would hourly contact the DUP to see if anything new happened. They didn't have anything to report. He knew something was coming, the question was when. He decided it was best to stay one more week before leaving to make sure things will be fine.

And yet again, days went by and there was no attacks reported. Not one. Speedy started to grow worried that if he would leave, this town would suddenly get attacked. He requested that he would stay a few days longer, if nothing happens, then he would leave. Bored as he was, he decided to go outside to take a walk.

As he walked, his sensor for detecting bio-terrorists began to go off a bit. He looked around and couldn't find anything. The only thing around was people. He was ready for action. His eyes constantly move left to right seeing if something's off. As he walked the beeping was getting louder. The beeping turned to a constant sound in a spot no one was at. It confused Speedy, seeing how the tech was flawless. It wasn't wrong.

The ground under him began to shake and the ground near all the stands busted open. The power was nothing like Speedy has seen and he was thrown off his feet. He got back up and looked up to a creature unlike anything he has ever seen. The creature stood on two legs which its feet were hooves, it had two bones sticking out of its elbows as if they were blades. The beast had quills on the back of his head as if he was a hedgehog once, but it also had two wings, one with feathers and the other with just bones. The creature turned towards Speedy and its teeth showed even more.

"Speedy the Hedgehog." The creature laughed. "Such a shame you have to see the fate of this town fall under your watch. "

"What the- who the hell are you?!" Speedy stumbled his words, surprised to be interacting with something that wasn't normal.

The beast grinned. "I am Arson."

Speedy's eyes grew wide. Arson was a being that was possessing Speedy early in his life. His hatred is what kept Arson alive despite dying from an explosion. How the hell did he get out? Arson threw a fireball towards him and he dodges. Speedy pulled out his handgun and open fired.

Arson took the shots and laughed. "I'm so touched at how much you want to fight, but if you want to tussle." Sudden, Arson gave off a loud sound of agony. He grabs his chest and falls down. Speedy pulled out his combat knife in case he was playing a trick and slowly moved towards him.

At that moment, sounds of flesh and bones being torn apart began to fill the atmosphere. He started to grow in size from what was once a 13 foot tall creature, began to form a blob and grew twice the size. "What the hell are you?!" Speedy yelled.

Arson began to reform to what was similar to what he looked like but now even more feral. He gave off a roar. "I AM ARSON! I WILL CONSUME THIS WORLD IN FLAMES!" Speedy knew he had to take him out quickly. Arson has been left alone, feeding off of the weak and slowly began to grow. How or why this is happening to him. Speedy didn't know.

Arson slashed down at the ground where Speedy was and he dodged it at the nick of time. "The bastard's fast!" He said to himself. Speedy charged up and slashed at the skin with his knife. As he did, his knife suddenly broke on impact and Arson grabbed him. The beast laughed seeing how Speedy was struggling. "Oh how the hero has fallen." Arson mocked Speedy. Speedy struggled but as he did, Arson started to squeeze him, Speedy started to feel his bones being crushed. "As much as a good meal you'd make, Speedy. I rather have you watch as you fail to stop me. Amazing how powerful I have grown, nothing can stop me!" Just as he finished, Arson threw Speedy towards a bunch of houses.

Like a ragdoll, Speedy bounced through each of the buildings until he landed with broken arm. Bleeding from all of the buildings he went through, he coughed up blood and looked up to see Arson stomping on him. Everything faded to black.

He suddenly saw a light and started to look around more. "Am I dead, already? Did I make a foolish choice to go alone and this is the price?" He asked himself. He didn't understand what was going on. He sees a door and walked towards it, as he step through, his eyes widen. Around him was death. The skies were darken with red and black clouds. The trees were burnt to the point of being charcoal. Bodies of people he knew, lie dead, missing limbs. Speedy stepped back, shocked, wondering if he found himself in hell for the sins he have committed early in life. As he stepped back, he bumped into something soft. He turned and saw his wife, hunged from a hook that drove through her chest.

"No!" Speedy yelled out. "This can't be happening! This can't!" He sudden awoke with a gasp of air. However, the air was fresh. Instead, he found himself covered in ash. He turned and he crawled back. The whole town, the town he swore to protect with his life, in ruins. People were crying and some were trying to help the wounded. He tried to get up but felt pain in his arm, it was broken.

Learning from Zero, he attempted to relocate the arm, as it snapped back into its socket, he gave off a loud shriek of pain. Speedy got up and reported in that his mission was a failure. He didn't know what to do. He learned that the creature had so much power. The fact that they both have fire, meant that Speedy's powers were useless. Even then, how would he able to get through the hide?

He returned to HQ to report what he knew about Arson. Zero wasn't thrilled to hear about it. "And this is why you should've brought your wife." He said to while working with chemicals. Speedy was sitting on the counter just scarred by what he saw. There was no way of stopping him. That thought ran through his mind. Zero notices it and sighs. "Look, we're currently working on rail weaponry if you want to know. It won't take long before we could create a weapon that would go through that armor Arson has."

"There isn't enough time for that." Speedy said. "He wants to destroy the planet and kill everything on it. He's growing faster and faster." Zero looked at him and sighed. "There's always a light at the end of a tunnel. Remember how you were part of the rebels where almost all was lost but in the end, you won."

Speedy sighed and left the building. He needed to figure out a way and fast. "Good afternoon, ole chap." A person came by. This man was someone familiar to Speedy. He wore a blue suit and gold rings on one of his hands. He wore a blue tophat but also a monocle. He was a grey-flying squirrel but he's not from here or anywhere. He was a demon.

Speedy snarled at the demon for even showing his presence at their time of disaster, he that this demon just wanted to see the world burn and laugh at their failures. "I've heard you're in quite a pickle." He looked at his hand and spun his arm until a wooden cane popped out of thin air and he leans on it with a smile. "Do tell me, what seems to be bothering you?"

Speedy walked passed him and the squirrel just opened his arms and let the wind shoot him ahead of Speedy and glide in front of him. "If something's bothering someone, it's always good to express your emotions, right?" He lands and stands on his cane in front of Speedy. "It's the nature of mortals who want help. You seem in a pissy mood lately ." He sat down with his legs crossed on the cane as if he has perfect balance on it. "Now tell me, ole chap. What is the problem?"

Speedy sighed and finally gave in. "There's a creature name Arson who's back, Aristride." Aristride laughs a bit. "Oh him? Yeah I gave him powers."

"What?!" Speedy yelled out and grabbed him. "You were responsible for his return?!" Aristride look to the side with a regret face. "When you put it that way." He said and his face turned back to a grin. "Yup!" He then grabbed Speedy's head and pats it. "But don't worry ole chap. I'm sure you can handle him. You did manage to lock up hundreds of others before, this one shouldn't be a problem."

Speedy walked off but just before he could turn a corner, he got hit in the back of the head, knocking him out. He then found himself in a dark room with a pedestal in front of him. "Where am I?" He asked himself. Aristride popped in and laughs a bit. "It's good to see you're awake my friend. Listen, I know how I can fix your problems. I can help you."

Speedy started to get annoyed by his constant harassment. "Why should I trust a demon like you?!" He yelled. Aristride simply laughed at the question. "Because." He grinned a bit ready to reveal something to him. "Chronic energy is my blood."

Speedy's eyes widen. All this time, he thought it was a substance that Zero found was something just powerful, instead, it turned out to be demon blood? He started to gag a bit at the thought that his powers, the ones he use to protect the lives he care about, were from a demon. "Bullshit!" He yelled out. "Zero discovered the substance underground!"

"Oh you poor fool, you see, I placed it there. If you want…" He scratched himself with the beak on his cane and green blood fell down on the pedestal, it gave off a glow, similar to that of the chronic energy. "You always wondered why you healed so fast right? Demons can't die and their wounds would heal instantly. However… Mortals who consume the blood can almost never die. Those unable to consume it, explode because they couldn't control the power. You see, all your friends, family, the people you captured, even Arson. All of them have my blood in them thanks to your good friend Zero and his lust for power 20 years ago."

Speedy started to shake more. All this time, he never truly expected himself to have something like that at all. "E-explain the fact everyone's powers are different!" He stumbled his words. Aristride laughs a bit, knowing that the poor soul was fearing it. "Each person's powers are based off their personality, their purpose in life. You my friend, have a fiery passion. You seek to end conflicts quickly but yet you have a short temper to cause them. "

Aristride gave a smirk and spun his cane around walking around the room. "Your friend Peter wanted to create his powers, but to do so, he consumed a large amount of his time and energy to find it. For him, I decided his powers would be electricity. I knew he would suffer from fear and I wanted him to easily fight back against any kind of threat that dared to challenge him."

Speedy didn't want to believe him. "Where can I leave?" He finally asked. He didn't want to deal with Aristride anymore, he had to find a way to defeat Arson. Aristride gave a disappointed look. "I was hoping you would be the one to save this world. You obviously care about it but since you don't want my help." He gives off a grin. "You can watch it burn with everyone you care about." Speedy stopped just before he was about to leave the door. He thought about his failure at the town he was meant to protect. A beast that would just keep growing and growing the more people he ate. "How can I stop it?" Speedy finally turned back and asked.

Aristride smiled a bit. "A wise choice Speedy." He flew towards the pedestal with his blood. "Remember how I told you Chronic Energy is my blood?" He tapped at the pedestal. "This is your key to saving your friends from Arson."

Speedy walked over to it and looked at the blood, glowing with his reflection in it. "What will happen to me? I won't drink something without knowing the effects of it." He turned towards Aristride who was rubbing his fingers together looking at it. "Simple, you will lose your mind and give into the power like everyone else who suffer from a large amount of it. The amount of blood in that pedestal is enough to allow you to defeat Arson. However, it's enough to also cause you to explore and level this entire city. Oh how I do enjoy games. Though, I'll be honest, the amount of this blood will be used up to defeat Arson so you won't be unstoppable." He grins a bit. "You will however be a threat to the DUP and anyone you meet. So really, the real question is this. Is it worth risking your life and the people you meet later in life just to kill a being or is it too risky to allow yourself to fall into temptation and you'll fight the beast, only to die with all the rest and to continue to feed the creature you fear most."

Speedy looked at the blood and gave off one last question. "If I drink this, will I go to hell?" Aristride laughs a bit. "Now there's a question every mortal asks of themselves! Why you're certainly dealing with a demon. Surely that should answer the question for you, not to mention you know all of the possible risks that take place. The only way I see it is that god will decide your fate." Speedy thought for a moment. "Have you decided?" Aristride watched, curious to see what the hedgehog's response was.

"Yes." Speedy replied back. "I have."


End file.
